I suspect that one reason people have been slow to discuss the Benton
article is that some of us haven't actually seen it yet. On the day the
original call went out I had just received the SPRING issue of _Asian
Perspectives_ (another U. Hawaii Press journal). Anyway, that issue (35,1)
contains an interesting review article by Vincent Pigott of Donald Wagner's
new book on Chinese iron. Though Wagner himself favours an indigenous
origin for Chinese iron, Pigott points out that there in now growing
evidence that both bronze and iron working may have spread from a single
centre of origin in West Asia. Even Chinese archaeologists are beginning
to seriously consider this possibility. The Caucasoid mummies from the
Tarim basin may be an important link in the west-east spread of technology.
Mark Hudson
History & Culture
Okayama University
Tsushima, Okayama
Japan 700